Patent Application
20060051989
This invention relates to making electrical connections with printed circuitry.
Management of high density interconnect is becoming increasingly important in the field of electronic assemblies. The electronics industry features a wide range of interconnection products, i.e., electrical and electronic connectors, which are employed in a countless number of applications including military and commercial products. Connectors of these types are relied on to provide mechanical and electrical interconnection between hard wire and fiber optic cable, integrated circuit (IC) packages, and printed circuitry.
In order to meet industry demands, connector manufacturers must be able to provide solutions to the problems associated with traditional connector design and manufacture. Problems associated with traditional connector designs include limited choice of materials, and, therefore, limited application. The limited choice of material is attributed, at least in part, to the fact that connector housings have been manufactured as a single piece, with the electrical contact elements subsequently inserted. Because the individual contact elements are generally employed for the purpose of carrying discrete electrical signals, the materials selected for the housings have typically been limited by the need to keep the contact elements electrically isolated. Additionally, certain mechanical problems are attributable to single piece constructions. Particularly in high density connections where the physical dimensions of the connectors are increased to accommodate an increasing number of contact elements, thin wall features of the connector housings begin to bow, which results in problems when making connections with mating connectors. Such bowing may also cause undesirable wide dimensional tolerances.
In general, the invention relates to an intercoupling component of the type for providing interconnections to printed circuitry.
In one aspect of the invention, the intercoupling component includes an electrically insulated terminal base having an array of holes configured to receive electrically conductive terminal elements, the elements having a first end adapted for insertion into the holes of the base and a second end configured to extend outwardly from the base. A shroud, separate from the base, includes a plurality of walls, which, in aggregate, define a first end. The first end of the shroud is configured to receive and be attached to the terminal base and allows the terminal elements to be positioned within the plurality of walls. The shroud also has a second end, which is configured to allow access to the terminal elements.
Embodiments of this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the following features. For example, the walls of the shroud can extend above the height of the pins. The second end of the shroud can be configured to interface with a mating component having an array of contact elements which correspond to the terminal elements of the intercoupling component. The second end of the terminal elements, extending outwardly from the base, are adapted for interconnect with corresponding contact elements of the mating intercoupling component. The first end of the terminal elements, inserted into the base, can be configured for various types of interconnect including, for example, ball grid array (BGA), pin grid array (PGA) and land grid array (LGA) interconnect. The second end of the shroud can include a key that corresponds to a key pattern on the terminal base, thereby controlling orientation of the shroud and the terminal base during assembly. The structural integrity of the shroud is improved by including structural ribs. The structural ribs are configured to fit between the terminal elements and connect opposing walls of the shroud.
Because the shroud is separate from the terminal base, the shroud and the base can comprise different materials. The shroud can comprise a material, e.g, copper, aluminum, galvanized steel, and conductive rubber, which provides shielding from radio frequency or electromagnetic interference. Additionally, the terminal base can comprise an electrically insulating material, such as glass epoxy (e.g., FR-4 glass epoxy).
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
a is a perspective view of the shroud.
a-c are perspective views of the intercoupling component assembly, illustrating alternative interconnection configurations.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
Referring to
The base member 200 with electrically conductive terminal elements 300 are received within a shroud 400 having sidewalls 410, which, when assembled with the base member 200, sit about the periphery of the base member 200 and extend above the height of the terminal elements 300. The sidewalls 410 of the shroud 400 include a key pattern 420 (see
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A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the shroud 400 and the base 200 can be formed from different materials. The shroud 400, for example, can be formed from a material that offers protection from electromagnetic and/or radio frequency interference, such as copper, copper alloys, aluminum, galvanized steel, and conductive rubber. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
